TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) – A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect in the Gaza Strip on Friday, the Israeli military announced hours later. Israeli cabinet approved the agreement The aim was to temporarily halt the fighting and exchange the remaining hostages with Palestinian prisoners.
Tens of thousands of people gathered in Wadi Gaza in central Gaza in the morning and began walking north following the military’s announcement at noon local time. Palestinians earlier reported heavy shelling in parts of the Gaza Strip throughout Friday morning, but no significant shelling was reported thereafter.
Ceasefire marks important step towards ending devastating two year war killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, Much of Gaza has been reduced to rubbledestabilizing the Middle East and leaving dozens of hostages, both living and dead, in the territory. nevertheless, US President Donald Trump’s extensive plans There are many unanswered questions, including whether Hamas will disarm and how it will govern Gaza.
A brief statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office early Friday morning said his cabinet had approved the “outline” of the agreement to release the hostages, but made no mention of other aspects of the plan, which are more controversial.
According to the military, Israeli forces have begun withdrawing to the agreed deployment line. An Israeli security official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the withdrawal, said the military would control about 50% of the Gaza Strip in its new positions.
The shelling continued early Friday morning.
At the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, Mahmoud Sharkawi, one of many people evacuated from Gaza City and sheltering there, said shelling had intensified early Friday morning before the military’s announcement.
“The shelling increased significantly today,” Sharkawi said, adding that low-flying military planes were flying over central Gaza.
Residents of northern Gaza City also reported shelling in the early morning hours.
“It’s chaos,” said Heba Galoun, whose home in eastern Gaza City was destroyed and who took refuge in another district. “Despite the cease-fire news, we hear shelling all night.”
Transaction details
A senior Hamas official and chief negotiator spoke Thursday and outlined what he said were the core elements of the ceasefire agreement. Israel released about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, opened border crossings with Egypt, allowed aid to flow in, and Israeli forces withdrew.
Khalil al-Haya said all women and children held in Israeli prisons would also be released. He did not elaborate on the scope of Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza.
A list released by Israel on Friday of Palestinian prisoners to be released as part of the deal does not include prisoner Marwan Barghouti, the most popular Palestinian leader and potential unifier. Israel considers some of the others to be terrorist masterminds who have killed Israeli civilians and has refused to release them in past exchanges.
Al-Haya said the Trump administration and mediators have given assurances that the war is over, and that Hamas and other Palestinian factions will now focus on achieving self-determination and establishing a Palestinian state.
“We declare today that we have reached an agreement to end war and aggression against our people,” Alhaya said in a televised address Thursday night.
To assist with support and monitoring armistice agreementU.S. officials said they would. send about 200 troops to Israel as part of a broader international team. The people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details they were not authorized to make public.
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Shurafa reported from Deir Bala, Gaza Strip. Sam Mednick of Tel Aviv also contributed.
